Japan Zone Entertainment News

Chinen Rina Divorced

June 04, 2007

Singer Chinen Rina (26) and model Nakamura Kentaro (23) revealed yesterday that they divorced in mid-March. In a faxed statement from her management agency, Chinen said that she and her ex had simply grown apart, and she apologized to those who have supported her and celebrated her wedding. The two were only married for a year and nine months, following a relationship of about two years. Okinawa native Chinen was two months pregnant when they married in August 2005, and she had a baby boy the following March 11. She retains custody of the boy, who would have just turned one at the time of his parents' divorce. In addition to his modeling career, Nakamura also works for his father's trading company. More cynical readers might wonder about the timing of the divorce announcement, with Chinen set to appear in a stage musical of "Les Miserables" at the Imperial Theater in Tokyo from this Friday.

 Happier news for actress Kawai Michiko (38), who is engaged to a young TV director. The two are said to have met at the end of last year while Kawai was appearing in a TBS afternoon drama series called "Kekkonshiki e Ikkou!" (Let's Go to a Wedding!). She is set to make a formal announcement on her regular Bunka Housou radio show on Saturday. Kawai was involved in affair with the husband of actress Yoshimoto Miyoko in 1999, and had a romance with a chef nine years her junior in 2003. But she's done even better this time as her new fiance is described as 12 years younger!